Fandom tends to have such a diverse set of opinions on any given character or plot point, I'm amazed that the writers can sift through and get a sense of what general audience response is. I mean, there were people out there who thought Ben was a great character.

Well I assume they disregard the ANgle is so hot! Buffy is fit! They should slepe wit Guyles! posts.

I can only think of two instances where I know it's happened: the decision that Willow's next SO after Tara's death definitely wouldn't be a man, and the abandonment of the Angel/Cordelia "romance."

I agree on these. I tend to think they use it as confirmation of what they're thinking. Like when they first thought of bringing JM on board in the wake of DB's departure. I would imagine knowing the fans enjoyed Spike just helped confirm their feelings on it. I've often wondered if Riley got Bronzed, though.

Cindy, why are you awake (already, I assume)

I have no idea, Perkins. And instead of lying in bed crying about it, and waking up my dh, I got up. Coffee is already made. I'm going to be utterly useless by the time my oldest son gets home from school, aren't I?

DAMN!

I just realized when I updated my site, I didn't include my Unspeakable stuff. ARGH.

Umm. Yeah, so... how's peeps?

Um, I don't hit the utterly useless stage for a few straight weeks of nights like that, but I'm probably not the person to ask.

Um, I don't hit the utterly useless stage for a few straight weeks of nights like that, but I'm probably not the person to ask.

That was me, years ago. I hit 30, and whooosh. That all went away. One night does me in for the next day, almost always.

Umm. Yeah, so... how's peeps?

Speaking of PEEPS (okay, so the other kind), someone posted at another board, that Just Born has some new Halloween Peeps this year. It made me think of your lenten yearning for them.

Now...what unspeakable stuff?

The really horrible stuff I wrote just to prove that I could write something with no redeeming qualities.

Then, of course, I blew it by writing a sequel that made the first make sense emotionally.

I suck at pure exploitation, I fear.

Then, of course, I blew it by writing a sequel that made the first make sense emotionally.

Good. One of the things that makes me a you-groupie is the emotional truth in your stories.

I suck at pure exploitation, I fear.

I don't know why (except that it's hella early, and all about memememememe, but...) that makes me think of the drummer I dated before I met dh. I'd been free from the soul-sucking demon for at least a year. I met drummer at club where drummer's band was doing a show. He came up to me and started talking when the next band came on. Thought I'd just go out with him, because hey!drummer, and that it could be nice, shallow fun in a hey!drummer way.

And then I really kind of fell for him. He was sort of sad, depressed--probably, really, and very sweet. And rather gentlemanly (erm... when you take into account hey!drummer). I sought out a guy for purely wild, meaningless fun, and ended up in one of those crushes on broken hearted artist of depth. Talk about a lack of truth in advertising.

OK, so I'm a little Season 3 deficient, it seems. I saw one last weekend that I'd never seen but thought I had (how happy was I to be watching "new" Buffy? Very much so). Deadman's Party. Two things: They were so freakin' mean to her. I mean, really. They could have at least asked -- so, uh, what happened to you? To Angel? And, the pink dress she wore for the dinner/party was pretty.

Oh, OK, three things: Giles' "lean of relief" in the kitchen was beautiful and tear-making.

Yes! Dead Man's Party still drives me nuts. I just want to throttle Xander. And I *like* Xander.

And Joyce says, 'Well, Mom's not perfect, okay?' And I'm all, well, neither's she. If you didn't want her to leave and never come back you shouldn't have said it.

My deranged ranting aside, it's a good example of the level of emotion the show can produce, and deal with.